The Boeing 737 MAX 8: What is the issue?

The Boeing 737 MAX 8: What is the issue?

On
10th March 2019, a barely four-month-old Boeing 737 max 8 operated
by Ethiopian Airlines, with 157 people on board took off from Bole
International airport in the Ethiopian capital Addis-Ababa destined for Nairobi
Kenya. In what was expected to be about a 2 hours flight ended in a crash only
six minutes later killing all 157 passengers and crew.

This
came just months after yet another brand new Boeing 737 max 8 operated by Lion Air from Jakarta to
Pangkal Pinang in Indonesia crashed into the Java sea barely 12 minutes after takeoff, killing all 189 people on board.
It was the worst aviation accident in Lion Air’s 18-year history. Preliminary
findings after investigations indicated flight control problems and instrument
failures.

It’s
quite easy to note how eerily similar the two accidents are. Both involve new
Boeing 737 max 8 jets and both happen just minutes after takeoff. This narrow-body aircraft has already sadly
taken away 346 lives since its launch on May 22nd, 2017. The plane
is currently the most important jet for Boeing as it marks Boeing’s response to
the Airbus A320 NEO which has allowed the European manufacturer to beat Boeing
in the single-aisle niche.

Both
Boeing 737 max 8 planes have crashed within weeks of leaving the Boeing’s
factories and had no prior indication of any structural defects. More than 40 countries
have since grounded the Boeing 737 max 8 aircraft pending further investigations.

Here are some of the issues currently under scrutiny.

Instrument failures

Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS)

The
737 max 8 has heavier and more fuel-efficient engines which in comparison to
the previous models, have been installed higher and further forward. These changes
can result in an upward pitching moment in certain maneuvers leading to
stalling.

To
counter these effects and pass part 25 certification requirements, Boeing
equipped the Max 8 with MCAS; a software program that automatically pushes the nose down when the plane is turning steeply or is in flaps-retracted,
low-speed, nose-up flight.

Sensors
mounted outside the aircraft monitor the airspeed and altitude of the plane,
and Incase the sensors detect that the angle of attack has exceeded a certain
limit, the MCAS system activates without notice to the pilot and automatically
takes corrective measures.

The
AOA sensor is a small blade that sticks out from the cockpit and records the
planes angles during flights. It is crucial to obtain accurate AOA data in all
environmental conditions so as to maintain both safety and performance of the
aircraft.

According
to investigators of the Lions Air crash, the AOA sensor malfunctioned rendering
flawed data to the aircraft’s computers; indicating that the plane was climbing
more sharply than it actually was.

As
a result, the MCAS kept kicking in and the plane kept going into a dive for no
apparent reason. The pilots kept counteracting by pulling back on the control
column only for the MCAS to kick in again after 10 seconds. This back and forth
battle between the aircraft’s software and the pilot happened 26 times before
the pilots finally lost control leading to the crash.

Pilots’ Complaints

A
search on the Aviation safety reporting system (ASRS), a reporting platform for pilots and other personnel shows that
the Boeing anti-stall system was engaged at least on two previous occasions
after pilots had turned on the autopilot. Pilots had voiced concerns months
prior to the Ethiopian Airlines disaster.

After
the Lions Air crash, Boeing 737 max 8 pilots have expressed outrage that Boeing
has failed to adequately educate them about the MCAS software program and its
operation. An incident reporting database by NASA has had multiple reports made
by Max 8 pilots about the plane nose diving shortly after takeoff.

Another
lawsuit was filed against Boeing by families of 17 victims killed in the max 8
crash in Indonesia. The lawsuit filed by Herrmann Law Group, a Seattle based
law firm alleges that crucial equipment aboard the aircraft failed and the
company did little to prepare the pilots for the potential dangers of the new
automated system installed in the max 8.

The
subject matter for both lawsuits seems to be Boeing intentionally withholding
information about their new automated systems from airlines and pilots. The
system was installed in the new jets without adequately notifying client
airlines nor proper pilot training.

After
the recent Ethiopian Airlines crash, it’s more than likely that more lawsuits will
follow against the Chicago based aircraft manufacturer.

FAA 737 Max Fleet Grounding

Daniel
Elwell, the acting FAA administrator made the decision to ground the 737 max
fleet after viewing flight data provided by Aireon; a company that uses
satellite networks to provide real-time surveillance of aircraft.

The
FAA has grounded Airliners in the past; in 2013, it grounded the 787-Dreamliner
soon after its introduction because of onboard Lithium battery fires. In 1979,
it grounded the DC-10 airplane after a crash that killed 273 passengers and crew,
the worst airplane disaster in US history.

All
eyes are now on Boeing and Investigations have started to determine whether the
crashes are connected and whether there is something systematically wrong with
the Boeing 737 aircraft line.

Ramifications

Boeing’s Reputation﻿

The
two crashes have dented Boeings reputation and raised concerns about Boeing’s commitment
to improving their safety standards. Boeing is an American industrial flagship
that manufactures among other planes the Air force one; the US Presidents
official aircraft, Fighter jets like the F15 and other Aerospace equipment.

Suppliers﻿

In
addition to over 150,000 Boeing employees, direct and indirect suppliers may be
facing huge losses if orders are canceled. Some of the suppliers include United Technologies,
General Electrics, Safran and Spirit Aero Systems.

Financial

Boeings
shares fell by more than 7 percent after the Ethiopian Airlines crash, losing the company nearly $ 27 billion in market capitalization.
If the two crashes were indeed caused by the software flaws, they will be
cheaper to rectify since Boeing will only have to roll out updates to the
flight control software and the flight manual already in use.

On
the other hand, if the causes are structural, this could be a nightmare
scenario for Boeing as it may involve major overhauls, repairs, and compensation
leading to losses in the billions of Dollars.

Conclusion

What
does the recent Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 crash mean for the aviation
industry?

It is apparent that Boeing failed to provide adequate information
and training on the automation systems they had added to the max 8 aircraft.
This rendered the pilots unable to deal with the effects of the automatic
system in case of an emergency.

The reasons for withholding such crucial information are not clear
but Boeing could be forced to make big changes in the way they handle the flow
of information to their clients.

It is likely that the two crashes could make it mandatory for Boeing
and other Aircraft manufactures in the future to provide adequate information
and training programs to their clients on new systems they introduce to the
market.

In this case, Boeing could be forced to introduce a training
program for pilots and first officers operating Boeing jets equipped with their
MCAS systems. They may also be required to issue updated operating procedures
to use in the event these systems malfunction.

The Ethiopian Airline crash will further shine the light on global
civil Aviation governing bodies and how they handle such situations. For
instance, America’s FAA has been criticized in the past for its handling of
issues associated with new airplane technology such as the 787-Dreamliner battery
fire incidences of 2013, and has also been criticized again for being reluctant
to ground the Max 8 in America.

Whether or not this measures will bring back passenger confidence
in the Boeing planes is yet to be seen but it is clear something needs to be
done. Aircraft manufacturers, Civil aviation governing bodies and the airlines
need to work together to guarantee safer air travel.